Skein-holder.



No. 634,235. Patented Oct. 3, [899.

G FISHBACK SKEIN HOLDER.

(Appl anon filed May 18 1899) (No Model.)

67 INVENTOR dwwa WITNESSES PETERS 00.. Fnm'O-Lrma, wumunron. u c.

PATENT FFIic.

GEORGIA FISHBA OK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SKElN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,235, dated October a, 1899.

Application filed May 18,1899.

T0 ail whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGIA FISHBACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in skein-Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in skein-holders, and more particularly to that class of holders which are adapted to hold skeins of silk or other threads, so that separatestrands thereof may be easily detached from the package as needed for use without the danger of taugliug the skein or any of its strands.

It consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a skeinholder constructed in accordance with my invention, the said holder being unfolded or open. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the same in its folded condition and ready for sale or use. Fig. 3'represents a detail perspective view of one end of the holder, showing the manner of reinforcing it where the hook is applied. Fig. 4 represents a detail sectional view of the same, but showing the reinforcing flap arranged differently; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the hook.

In making skein-holders of this kind I find that it is advisable to form the skein supporter or hock from which the strands are to be drawn of a substance sufficiently hard to prevent the said strands from cutting into or tearing the said hook and sufficiently smooth to facilitate the easy slipping of the strand or strands thereon when being withdrawn.

I am aware that skein-holders have been made having a fold or the material, as paper, turned inwardly to form a loop or hook to engage the skein. These, however, have proven unsuccessful in practice, as the paper fold readily tears, making it difficult to draw out the strands and rendering it useless. I

am also aware that cards or folders for ship- Serial No. 716,648. (No model.)

' ping or displaying skeins have been used which have pairs of metallic hooks for holding skeins at both ends; but these would. not permit of the strands of a skein being withdrawnindividually. Thelattercardsorfolders were not intended for the last-mentioned purpose, and the metallic hooks therefore have such rough square edges as to prevent the strands of a skein slipping over them. Moreover, in using a metallic hook for a package of this kind it should be formed in such a manner that acompar'atively flat package can be produced. 1

In carrying out the features ,of my invention I form my improved skein-holder of a main body portion or folder 1, constructed, preferably, of some light inexpensive material, as paper, thin cardboard, or the like. The folder 1 is creased or folded, as at 2 2, so as to produce two flaps, as 3 4. To the back 5 of the folder 1 is secured the hook 6 for engaging and supporting a skein, as 7, the said hook 6 being preferably located near one end of the folder. When the skein 7 has been put in place on the hook 6, the flaps 3 and 4 are folded over the skein and secured together to form a complete closure, only open at the ends. To secure the flaps together, I preferably gum one of the flaps at the edge, as at 8. The manner of forming and attaching the hook 6 forms an important feature of myinvention, as it enables me to accomplish desirable results in the production of a skein holder or package. The hook 6 is made of metal and preferably of round wire, as illustrated, so that the strands of the skein can slip easily thereon. The wire is so bentas to form a central tongue or hook portion, as 9, the wire being extended upwardly at each side 10 and then downwardly toform attaching end portions, as 11 11. g are preferably forced through the back 5 of the folder 1 and bent snugly against the same. The back of the folder is preferably reinforced at this point by forming an extension 12 on the back 5 and folding it down outside the folder 1. The extension 12 is preferably gummed to the back 5 or otherwise secured in its folded position to thicken the back at that point. As seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the ends 11 11 are usually passed through the material of both the back 5 and the ex- The ends 11 11 I tension 12. The said ends 11 11 may, however, be inserted between the said back 5 and the extension 12, as seen in Fig. 4, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It will be apparent that when a skein is on the hook (5 the strands thereof will rest between the metal of the tongue portion 9 and that of the sides 10 10, thus having smooth surfaces to be drawn over. It will also be noticed that the tongue 9 may be arranged almost in the. same plane as the sides 10 10 because of the distance between said sides, so as to make a comparatively flat hook to facilitate the production of folders or packages which are fiat, and therefore capable of being packed closely and snugly. The hook being made thus flat is not likely to be forced through the paper or other material of which the folder is formed and the package will be neat in shape and appearance.

In placing the skein in the folder the central portion thereof is hung on the hook and the ends allowed to hang down so as to project a little below the end of the folder. The folder is designed to hold the skein until each individual thread or strand has been withdrawn for use. Vhen it is desired to use the strands of the skein for sewing, embroidery, or the like, the skein is cut at the end, when any of the strands may be withdrawn individually, the hook offering very slight resistance to the operation. The fiat shape of the hook also tends to hold the skein more or less snugly against the back 5, so that neither the skein nor any of its strands are likely to he accidentally disengaged from the package.

It is preferable to employ a paper tab, as 13, to hold one end of the loop of the skein, as clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A skeinholder comprising an inclosing folder, a flap or extended portion at one end, folded outwardly against the back of the folder to form a reinforcing portion, a skeinholding hook consisting of a wire bent upwardly to form a tongue in the center, upwardly-extending side portions forming with the tongue, skein-engaging loops, and rearwardly-extending ends passing through the reinforced portion of the folder, the said ends being bent downwardly against the reinforced back portion to firmly hold the hook in place, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGIA FISHBACK.

Witnesses:

ROBERT J. FRANK, THOMAS E. D. BRADLEY. 

